We Celebrate Our Differences

The Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine at Marshall University holds diversity as a core value of its educational, research, service and health care missions. We promote an inclusive academic health care community because we believe that a diverse population offers a rich environment that leads to greater knowledge, understanding, acceptance and mutual respect. We will continue to promote an inclusive environment by attracting, recruiting and retaining individuals who represent varying backgrounds and perspectives which include, but are not limited to:

Individuals from rural backgrounds

Individuals historically underrepresented in medicine

African American/Black

American Indian

Latino/Hispanic

Asian/Other Pacific Islander

Women

The Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine's diversity goals support the University culture in which diversity and academic excellence are seen as interdependent.

With Diversity, Everyone Counts

Diversity encompasses acceptance and respect through understanding that each individual is unique, and recognizing individual differences. Differences may be the dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs or other ideologies.

The exploration of these differences in a safe, positive and nurturing environment and celebrating the rich dimensions contained within each individual is what diversity is all about. Diversity is about a commitment to recognize and appreciate the variety of characteristics that make individuals unique. We strive for an atmosphere that promotes individual and collective achievement.

We celebrate and learn from diversity and we value individual differences. Diversity is central to our academic school of medicine mission and serves as a driver of program excellence.

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Our Commitment

The office of diversity is committed to devising strategies and overseeing initiatives within the School of Medicine that will shape worldviews and foster a mind set open to different perspectives, new ideas and innovative solutions. We work to create a welcoming and inclusive environment where differences are respected and valued.

We will continuously make every effort to provide support and assist students in successfully completing their medical education. We strive for an inclusive, supportive environment, empowering individuals to achieve their academic objectives and increase their intercultural competencies and knowledge of social justice issues.

Everyone has a vital role and an important stake in diversity work, whether it is working together to eliminate health disparities or self-educating to become more culturally competent. We will continue to collaborate within and across different communities to reduce inequalities and to create an environment that will facilitate the academic achievement of racial and ethnic populations that are underrepresented in the medical profession.